Electro-magnetic reciprocating engine



(No Model.)

0. J. VAN DEPOELE.

ELECTED MAGNETIC REGIPROGATING ENGINE. No. 458,872. Patented Sept. 1, 1891. 9 R

UNITED STATES CHARLES J. VAN DEPOELE,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRO-MAGNETIC RECIPROCATING ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 458,872, dated September 1, 1891.

Application filed March 19, 1891.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. VAN DE- POELE, a citizen of the United States,residin g at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electro-llagnetic Reciprocating Engines, ofwhich the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention is an improvement in the construction of electro-magnetic reciprocating engines, and refers in the present instance to the construction and disposition of the various parts which determine the position and strength of the magnetic fields of force under the influence of which the moving part or plunger is reciprocated. A general description of this class of machines has been given in numerous prior applications for Letterslatentfor instance, Cases Serial Nos. 876,610

and 382,877.

My improvement is herein shown in connection with a reciprocating engine in which three magnetizing-coils are used, the central coil being under the influence of a pulsating current of constant direction, while the current energizing the end coils is alternating in character. I do not, however, restrict myself to this or any particular construction, as my invention may be applied to reciprocating engines of different forms and having any desirable number of coils.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation, partly in section, showing an engine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is also a longitudinal sectional elevation showing the disposition of the coils and other parts of a completed machine. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the circuits employed in the particular engine used in illustrating the present improvement. Figs. 4 and 5 are views in detail showing the magnetic shields.

In Fig. 1, H H are iron heads, and I the iron shell which joins them together to form the external envelope of the engine, which is at the same time the main magnetic system .thereof. A diamagnetic tube J is fixed to the heads H II, and the plunger is free to reciprocate therein. The said plunger has guide-rods R R, which project to the outside of the cylinder through glands g g, prefer- Serial No. 385,690. (No model.)

ably made of diamagnetic material and accurately bored and acting to guide the plunger in fixed relation to the interior protectingtube J. Between the said tube and the outer shell I are disposed the coils A B B. These are-carefully insulated electrically from the outer envelope I; also from each other and from the magnetic plunger P. The said coil A is placed between the diamagnetic tube J and the shell I, and as it is energized by a current of constant direction its polarity will be constant and it will establish constant poles in the plunger 1, heads II II, and shell I, as clearly shown by the and signs marked thereon. The coils B B being traversed by slowly rising and falling currents of alternating polarity will alternately attract and re pel the plunger P and impart reciprocating motion thereto. It is essential that these coils B B be as thoroughly insulated from the magnetic influence of the heads II II and shell I as possible; otherwise detrimental induced currents would be set up therein and heating and a useless waste of magnetic force result.

Referring again to the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that I have placed around the coils B B and between them and the outer iron shell I a number of thin sheets of iron S S S S, preferably tinned and thoroughly insulated from each other by mica, shellacked paper, or any other good non-coir ducting material. These sheets of metal form magnetic shields, and are rendered discontinuous by slits in their vertical length or through the line of the axis of the machine, in order to prevent the formation of induced currents in them by the change of polarity of coils B B.

Between the heads llll and the coils B 3, I have placed a number of disks D D D D, of material similar to that of the shields S S SS and insulated from each other. These disks are also slitted to prevent the generation of induced currents by the action of coils B B.

Fig. a shows the position of the shields S relative to the coils and outer shell I, and Fig. 5 the position of the disks .D with respect to the same.

In Fig. 2 l. have shown a machine completed so far as the construction herein re ferred to is concerned. It will be noticed that the heads II H of this engine are so formed as to leave air-spaces between them and the disks D D D D on top of the coils 13 I3. In practice, this space will be disposed as found desirable, so that the constantlyniagnetized heads H Il may be arranged nearer to or farther from the plunger P, as it IS sometimes desirable that the magnetism of the shell I and heads H H be brought to bear upon the plunger with more or less effect. The distance between the heads H H and the coils B B and the magnetic disks D D D D will prevent as far as possible any detrimental effect incident upon the change of po larity in the said coils.

\Vith the construction and arrangement .here shown, the glands g 9' being made of dianiagnetic material, the guiderods R R might with advantage be made of magnetic metal, such as steel or iron.

, In the extreme ends of the diamagnetic tube .I will be seen a series of elastic washers L L, which are so placed to prevent any hard concussion through the falling of the plunger within said tube should the current be suddenly cut off.

In Fig. 3 I have shown in diagram the coils A B B, and in full lines the plunger P and its guide-rods R R.

The hereinbelore-d escribed invention is ca pable of various modifications and changes, and many of such would occur to persons skilled in the art, and may be applied in accordance with the principles set forth without departing from the scope or nature of the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, ,1s

1. An electro-magnetic reciprocating engine having a plurality of coils, an iron e11- velope surrounding said coils, and a magnetic shield or shields interposed between a portion of said coils and the surrounding envelope.

2. An electro-magnetic reciprocating e11- gine having a plurality of coils, a plunger adapted to be reciprocated centrally through said coils, an iron envelope surrounding the coils and plunger, and magnetic shields interposed between aportion of the said coils and the surrounding envelope, shielding them therefrom, the remainder of said coils magnetizing the envelope and plunger.

3. An electro-lnagnetic reciprocating engine having a plurality of coils energized, respectively, by continuous and alternating currents, an iron envelope surrounding said coils, and magnetic shields interposed between the coils energized by the alternating currents and the said surrounding envelope.

4. A11 eleetro-magnetic reciprocating ongine having a plurality of coils energized by pulsating currents of continuous and alter-' sisting of thin sheets of magnetic metal slitted to prevent the circulation of electric currents therein and insulated from each other.

(3. An eleetro-magnetic reciprocating engine having motor-coils, a continuous iron envelope or casing surrounding said coils, and heads therefor joined directly to the continuous envelope, but formed to leave spaces at the ends of the said motor-coils.

7. An electro-magnetic reciprocating engine having a plurality of coils, a plunger reciprocating under the magnetic in [iuenee of the coils, an. envelope of magnetic material surrounding the coils and plunger, magnetic shieldsinterposed between said envelope and part of the coils, and magnetic extensions upon the plunger reciprocating therewith and extending through the surrounding envelope.

8. An electro-magnetic reciprocating engine having a plurality of coils energized by currents of continuous and alternating polarity, a plunger reciprocating therethrough, a magnetic envelope surrounding said coils and plunger, magnetic shields interposed between the envelope and the coils energized by the alternating currents, and magnetic extensions upon the plungerreciprocating therewith and extending through the surroumling envelope.

9. An electro-inagnetic reciprocating engine having a plurality of coils, a plunger adapted to be reeiprocated centrally through said coils, an iron envelope surrounding the coils and plunger, and magnetic shields interposed between a portion of the said coils and the surrounding envelope, the remainder of said coils magnetizingthe envelope and plunger in a constant direction.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES .l'. VAN DEPOELE.

Witnesses:

JOHN W. litsnosnv, CHAS. ll. OLIN. 

